The Project
by obsessivee
Summary: Story set during DH with DeanParvati, LavenderSeamus, and NevilleLuna. Slight AU because of some mistakes I made. Full explanation in the authors note at the top of the first chapter. Review please? I'll try to check out and review one of your stories!
1. Crushing

A/N: There are two mistakes I made that make this slightly AU. One I realized the moment after I put up the first chapter and started the second: that Luna isn't in the same year as the other main characters. I decided to just stick with it, though, for the sake of the story. Then, after posting the third chapter, I realized that Dean shouldn't even be at Hogwarts since he's a Muggle-born and was on the run during DH. So my decision now is to simply make it slightly AU. Very sorry about these mistakes that you or may not have realized: hope it doesn't ruin it for you. But yeah, enjoy.

"So, class, you will be split up into pairs of two to present projects on Human Transfiguration. This is very much like the kind of projects those of you who went to Muggle grade school should be familiar with," Professor McGonagall explained to her seventh-year class. "Oh, and I'll be choosing the pairs."

Her class gave one long groan. McGonagall ignored them, and began calling out pairs. "Padma Patil and Ernie Macmillan, Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnegan and Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle and Hannah Abbott, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas…"

Parvati turned around and smiled at Dean. "Hey, partner," she said pleasantly.

"Ready to work?" Dean joked.

"Oh, yeah, Dean, you're real hardworking."

"You know it," Dean said.

"Well, here's to being partners," Parvati said, holding out her palm for a high-five: a Muggle custom Dean had taught her years ago. They did their handshake: two slap fives, a fist bump, and then "Patchow!"

"Ms. Patil, Mr. Thomas. Flirt on your own time," McGonagall scolded.

The class laughed and Dean smiled at Parvati jokingly. (Secretly he wished it were true.) But Parvati's face was completely flushed as she answered McGonagall, her tone stony. "We're most definitely not flirting, Professor."

xXxX

After class, Dean walked alongside Seamus and Neville, both of whom were discussing their partners for the project.

"Can't say I'm complaining, Seamus. Lavender Brown is perfectly fine in my book."

"I only wish I was you," Seamus complained, referring to his hopeless crush on Lavender.

"Yeah?" Neville said. "I wish I could trade with you."

Dean shook his head. How hopelessly crushed the three were.

"At least you have Parvati as a partner, Dean," Seamus remarked.

"Oh, yeah! Gonna make some moves finally, Dean?" Neville asked.

Dean feigned a smile. "We'll see."

xXxX

Parvati walked with Lavender to lunch after Transfiguration.

"So, Dean," Lavender said. "Good or bad?"

"Good!" Parvati answered. "We've been close friends since third year, you know that."

"Right, just friends," Lavender giggled.

"Lavender," Parvati's tone turned stony again. "We're just friends."

Lavender's face and tone turned serious too. "Whoa, I'm sorry, I just…"

"It's okay," Parvati exhaled. "You don't want to know, believe me."

"Um, okay," Lavender giggled nervously. "So I've got Neville. Should be workable."

"Yeah, but it'd be better if it were Herbology." Both girls laughed, and didn't notice the blonde-haired girl come up behind them.

"Hello!" came the dreamy voice.

Parvati and Lavender turned around. "Oh, hi, Luna," Parvati greeted.

"How are you?" Lavender added.

"Pretty fine, thanks. And you?"

"We're just great," Lavender answered for the both of them. "Happy with your Transfiguration partner?"

"Oh, Seamus? Yeah, it should be fun."

Lavender's face flamed at the mention of Seamus's name. "Oh, you got Seamus?" she asked casually.

"Well, yeah, you heard the Professor."

Parvati laughed into her hands at Lavender's red face.

"Well, Luna," Lavender attempted to regain her composure. "Good luck." Then she dragged Parvati into the Great Hall.

"Calm down, Lavender."

"Can you believe Seamus is paired with Loony Lovegood?" she shrieked.

"Lavender, please. Like Luna is a big flirt or anything. Maybe if you'd just put on the charm for Seamus, something would get going with you two!"

"Completely besides the point," Lavender lied, sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

Parvati sat down next to her. "Besides," Lavender added, reaching for the steak-and-kidney pie. "You're not the one who should be talking."

xXxX

Dean sat with Seamus and Neville, trying not to stare at Parvati, who looked miserable while Lavender yapped on and on beside her.

"Quit staring, mate, and just talk to her," Seamus remarked at the end of lunch, when Parvati got up alone.

"I will if you will," Dean responded, gesturing towards Lavender, who now sat alone.

"Deal."


	2. Talking

Parvati walked down the hallway, her destination set in her mind: Gryffindor Tower, and the cozy common room that came with it. She needed a place to erase the morning's events before going to her afternoon classes. But fate didn't seem to be on Parvati's side, as Dean came bounding up to her a moment later.

"Hello, Dean," she managed.

"Hey, Parvati. Mind if I walk with you?"

"Not at all," she lied.

"Look, Parvati, I'm sorry about that whole flirting thing in class."

"Why?" Parvati put on a warm smile. "It's not like it was your fault."

Dean shrugged. "I guess not. But, um, do you mind if I ask why you got so upset?"

Parvati was silent for awhile, so Dean began to ramble in cover-up.

"I mean, who wouldn't be upset? It is very embarrassing, I remember how upset Hermione used to get if a Professor ever accused her of flirting with Harry or Ron…I just meant that you seemed over-angry or something…"

"Dean!" Parvati shrieked, making him jump backward into a random fourth year.

"Y-yes?" he said, after apologizing to the fourth year and recovering himself.

"Your mouth was going a little too fast for me to handle," Parvati explained.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Um, so I'll just…go? Unless you want to answer the question…"

"Now I'm going to say sorry," Parvati said softly. "Because I can't answer your question." And with that, she ran away.

XxXx

Seamus approached Lavender at the table carefully. "Hello," he said, trying not to sound nervous. Lavender swiveled around on the bench, searching for the source of greeting. When she saw Seamus, her face reddened. Or had he imagined it?

"Oh, hello, Seamus," Lavender finally answered.

"May I sit down?"

"Of course."

"So, Transfiguration. Are you any good at it?"

Lavender laughed. "Random, but promising."

Seamus laughed with her, surprised that she'd regained whatever composure she'd lost so fast. It made him admire her even more. "Something's got to break the ice."

"True. Transfiguration. Hmm, when I'm about to break the ice, I usually go for Defense Against the Dark Arts. But I see we want a little variety here."

Seamus laughed, and Lavender beamed at him. All of a sudden, her expression became more serious and her voice lower. "Doesn't it surprise you that we can all make jokes like this, while a war rages outside Hogwarts's walls?"

Seamus stared at her in disbelief; she had somehow taken all his own thoughts and wrapped them up into her own sentence. He answered her, breathlessly, "Yes. Yes, that's exactly what surprises me, actually."

Lavender seemed surprised, but pleased. Then she continued, "It's like sometimes I stop myself and wonder how I can be laughing when…people are out there risking their lives as we speak for our welfare."

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione possibly," Seamus added.

Lavender nodded sorrowfully. "I would be…so unhappy…should anything happen to any of them."

Seamus tried not to be disappointed. Did she still have feelings for Ron…or was it Won-Won? Well, he wasn't about to wait and find out. "You mean Ron?"

"What?"

"Don't you fancy him?"

Lavender reddened again; Seamus's suspicions were confirmed.

His tone became angry. "Just when I thought we were getting somewhere," he muttered.

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. Have fun with Won-Won." And he stormed away, leaving Lavender flabbergasted and angry with herself.

XxXx

Neville was left sitting alone at the Gryffindor table, feeling lonely as usual. He looked over at Luna, staring into space at the Ravenclaw table, also alone, and also as usual. He thought of Dean and Seamus; they'd just gone off to try to talk some girls up. Why shouldn't he? He got up and walked over to where she sat.

"Hey, Luna."

"Oh, hello, Neville."

"Whatcha looking at?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking."

"May I ask what about?"

"Hmm. Just about life, in general."

"Really? Not about…Wrackspurts or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?"

"Is that all you think I talk about?" Luna's usually serene voice was changed for the first time since Neville had met her.

"No, no, of course not!"

"Well, good, because it's not. I'm more than that." Her voice turned back to normal. "Though they are very fascinating…"

Neville laughed. "That's what I love about you." Realizing what he'd let slip, he blushed.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, well…I have kind of admired you for awhile, Luna."

"Thank you. I admire you…too."

"Really? Would you ever think of me…romantically?"

"I am right now."

"So you'd…go out with me…if I asked you?"

"I'd say so."

"Then will you?"

"Sure."

And she turned to him for the first time in the conversation, beaming, and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Off to read up on Herbology."

xXxX

Neville found Dean in their room, and Seamus came in about a minute later.

"How'd it go?" Dean asked.

"Horrible," Seamus answered. "She's still hung up over stupid Ron. You?"

"Not as bad as it sounds with you, but she ran away from me. So I'm guessing not good."

They both turned to Neville, ready to hear his sob story. "Did Luna let you down easy?"

Neville smiled. "Nope, boys. Luna did the exact opposite of that."

Dean and Seamus frowned in depression. They both were secretly thinking that the moment Neville Longbottom's love life was better than yours, you were really bad off.


	3. Namecalling

**A/N: Chapter 3...R&R?

* * *

**The next day, Parvati was practically dragged into Transfiguration by Lavender and Padma. They got there early, and sat at a table together.

"Why didn't she want to go so bad?" Padma asked Lavender when Parvati wasn't listening, instead engrossed in her spellbook.

"I don't know, but I bet it has something to do with…" she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Dean."

Padma gasped, and smirked when Parvati looked at her questioningly before turning back to her reading. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, I reckon she likes him, but isn't admitting it for some reason," Lavender answered.

"She did seem pretty angry yesterday when McGonagall accused them of flirting."

"Exactly," Lavender said as McGonagall came walking in.

"Please sit with your partner I assigned you yesterday!" McGonagall roared, and the class scurried to change tables.

Parvati stayed where she was, waiting for Dean to come to her. He approached cautiously, and greeted her tentatively. "Hello, Parvati."

"Hello, Dean," Parvati put on a fake smile, deciding to pretend that nothing weird had happened the day before. And that's exactly what they did that class: they acted like they normally did as good friends, and worked on the project quite harmoniously. By the end of the period, both had forgotten all about the day before.

* * *

Seamus couldn't help glancing angrily over at Lavender as she worked with Neville. Luna was looking in that direction too, and it angered Seamus even more that her and Neville were exchanging flirtatious looks.

"Can you concentrate?" he grumbled halfway through the period.

"Not if Neville keeps looking at me!" she answered uncharacteristically; in a way, she sounded like Lavender. She must've been really hung up on Neville. This only depressed him more.

After class, Seamus walked over to Neville, ready to give him a piece of his mind about Lavender, but Neville walked right past him in favor of Luna. They walked out of class together, giggling about something or other. This left him and Lavender, in a very awkward situation. Lavender got red and said, "Seamus, can we talk?"

Seamus looked around for Dean, but he was walking out of the classroom with Parvati, Padma, and Ernie Macmillan. He had no choice but to say yes to Lavender. They started to walk together down the hall towards lunch.

"I'm really sorry, Seamus," Lavender said straight out.

"For what? Leading me on to think you liked me when you obviously are still infatuated with someone else?"

"No," Lavender answered in the same angry tone. "I'm sorry that you think that, because you're entirely wrong."

"As if," Seamus snarled.

Lavender scowled. "You know what, Seamus! Just forget what I was going to say!"

"Fine! Sounds good to me, you…whore."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, you heard me. Anyone who goes around snogging Ron like a maniac last year and then teases other blokes the next is a downright whore!"

Lavender, close to tears, said. "I hate you, you bloody git!" Then she took off towards Gryffindor Tower, leaving everyone staring at Seamus in question.

* * *

"You called her what?" Dean asked Seamus in lunch after he recounted his walk with Lavender.

"A whore."

"Seamus! That's horrible! Not only that, but you could get in major trouble if she decides to have some revenge."

"Well, she should be the one who's getting in trouble for…toying with me."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You sound like a girl, mate." Then he got up, and walked away.

* * *

"He called Lavender a whore?" Parvati asked.

"That's what I'm saying," said Dean.

"Well, I better go comfort her." Parvati got up to leave.

"Wait! Parvati!"

"Yes?"

"I came for another reason too."

"Well, get on with it then."

"Uh…Hogsmeade, Saturday. We could go around then work on the project at the Three Broomsticks?"

"Sounds good. I'll meet you while Filch is calling out names."

"Bye!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Luna and Neville were sitting together in the library, researching side by side.

"You know, Neville," Luna said dreamily. "I really wish we were partners for this Transfiguration project."

"Yeah, me too. Hey, want to go to McGonagall and see if we can switch? Seamus said just the other day he wished he was in my place with Lavender."

"Oh, yeah, and I'm sure Lavender wouldn't mind either."

Apparently having missed the scene on the way to lunch, the pair persuaded Professor McGonagall that it was in the best interest of all four of the students to trade.

"Deed done," Neville said as they walked out of the Transfiguration classroom.

"Yeah, we better go back to that library."

* * *

"I hate Seamus Finnegan!" Lavender declared in the girls' dormitory.

"Come on," Parvati chided. "You don't hate him."

"You're right! I don't hate him. I loathe, despise, and abhor him!"

"Well aren't we just a walking thesaurus," Parvati muttered.

"Can you believe the nerve of him? First to think I still liked Ron, when it's so obvious that bloke had it for Hermione Granger all the time! I was just too stupid to see it at the time, and pretended it wasn't true!"

"You're not stupid."

"Oh, shut up, Parvati," she snapped.

Parvati looked taken aback, so she quickly apologized. "I'm so sorry, Seamus has me all angry. But honestly, and then when I come to apologize that it looked like I liked Ron, he goes off on me, and calls me a, a whore!"

"Yes, it seems very upsetting."

"Upsetting?! It's outrageous! I'm never talking to that sorry bloke again."

"Alright, well, I'm going to go get some food for you from the kitchen, you must be awful hungry."

Lavender lay on her bed, thinking again about the year before. The fact that Ron had liked Hermione all along, and the rumors people had told her that he'd been using her to get her jealous still angered her. Which was why she had been proud of herself by getting over him and starting to like Seamus. And deep inside, she still liked Seamus, even though he'd called her a whore. But she still didn't want to talk to him, for at least…a week. To make a point. Just then, Parvati came back in with a tray covered in food.

"Thanks, Parvati!" Lavender said as it was handed to her.

"Err, Lavender?" Parvati said as Lavender started to slurp up some soup.

"Hmm?"

"I have a message for you from Neville and Luna."

"They're together now, aren't you?"

"Yes, and that's why they switched partners…"

Lavender shot straight up on the bed. "You mean, you mean…"

Parvati nodded. "Guess you'll be talking to Seamus after all."

* * *

**A/N: Ooh, cliffhanger. But not really. What now? Keep reading, or review, or here's a better idea, do both: Thanks!**


	4. Fighting

**

* * *

A/N: Chapter 4, enjoy

* * *

**"_What_?" Seamus stared incredulously into Neville's face. 

"Aren't you happy? Now you can get on Lavender's good side, and I'm with Luna!"

"Oh, Neville, you really do manage to make a mess of things." And he stalked off, leaving Neville shrugging confusedly behind him.

XxXx

Dean and Parvati walked to Transfiguration together on Thursday, talking about the partner changes of their friends. Both thought it was pretty funny.

"If Seamus doesn't ask out Lavender, you're going to be shopping for a new best friend," Parvati said to Dean.

"Watch it, mate," Dean laughed.

Parvati smirked. "Well, it's true! They'd be perfect together. The fact that it's taken this long is annoying enough." Parvati thought for a second. "At least they're not as bad as Ron and Hermione. They didn't even figure out they should be together until last year, and even then Ron managed to make a mess of things."

"I hear you. But shouldn't you be on Lavender's side about the whole Ron-using-Lavender thing?"

Parvati sighed. "I _should,_ but I'm not." She laughed. "I'm rooting for Hermione on this one."

"Hmm, isn't everyone?" said Dean. They both laughed again.

* * *

"Class, we have a change in partners for the project…Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown will now be working together, and their respective partners will now be paired up instead. But today we won't be working on the project. Instead we'll be transfiguring…"

The rest of McGonagall's lecture was lost on Seamus, because that was the moment Lavender chose to levitate a paper airplane so it landed on his desk. He looked up to see where it came from, and Dean, who was sitting beside him, motioned towards Lavender where she sat a table over with Padma and Parvati. He opened it up slowly, scared it would yell at him like a Howler or explode in his face. But all he saw was the pristine, girly handwriting of Lavender Brown.

_Mr. Finnegan,_

_According to Neville, McGonagall was uneasy about changing these partners in the first place, so there's unfortunately no way we can get changed back. I'm very mad about having to work with you, I'd like you to know straight off. I'm not sure if I'll even give you a second chance yet. Just wanted to let you know that it's going to take a lot to get me to forgive you. That is, if you're even planning on apologizing to me._

_"Whore" Until Further Corrected (Hopefully),_

_Lavender Brown_

Seamus was surprised by how smart she'd sounded writing that letter. He thought about it. Should he apologize?

"Mr. Finnegan!" McGonagall's sharp voice brought him back to reality.

"Yes?" he answered uneasily.

"The answer…" McGonagall's voice sounds like it should be obvious.

"Uhm, bullfrogs?" Seamus had just answered the thing that first came to mind.

The class laughed, and Lavender turned around to look at Seamus as she giggled. The way her blonde hair flipped made Seamus's heart beat fast. He was definitely going to apologize, he decided.

* * *

After class, Parvati escaped Lavender quickly; she knew that as soon as they were let out of the room, she'd want to discuss her letter to Seamus. As mad as she was about the "whore" situation, she was still totally in love with him. And she seemed to have softened over the night, seeming now rather fond of him apologizing to her and smoothing things over. Parvati preferred Dean's company anyway, she had to admit. Though she would never tell Lavender this, because for one, it insulted Lavender. And two, Lavender would tell her she liked Dean, that way. Which she didn't. At all.

"Hey, Patil," Dean said jokingly.

"What's up, Thomas?" Parvati immediately grinned in his presence.

"Mhm. Seamus was about to start babbling about his letter from Lavender. So it was my cue to leave," he explained.

"Lavender was too," Parvati said, laughing.

Dean laughed too. "So, lunch? Who are you sitting with?"

"Most definitely not Lavender. Are you suggesting we sit together?"

"What if I am?"

"Then I'd say: where should we sit?"

* * *

Seamus walked with Neville and Luna, since Dean had practically ran away from him after Transfiguration. They weren't being too mushy anyway, and actually considering his problem.

"You know, Seamus, I bet Lavender really wants you to apologize," Luna said. "Otherwise she wouldn't have sent the letter."

"I suppose you're right. But she has some to apologize for too!" Seamus protested.

"Look, mate, you called her a horrible name. Last time I checked, you practically made up that whole bit with her liking Ron and leading you on. Just give it up that you did something wrong, and smooth things over," Neville instructed.

Seamus considered this. "I can't believe I'm saying this, Neville, but I think you're right."

* * *

Lavender walked with Padma to lunch, babbling about her letter to Seamus.

"Look, Lavender," Padma finally stopped her. "Either way, the project is a big grade. You're going to have to work with him. So it'd be great if he apologizes, but if he doesn't, you should still try to get along with him."

Lavender crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you saying I shouldn't hope he apologizes?"

"No, it'd be great if he does. But don't let your Transfiguration grade rely on a seventeen-year-old boy's apology," she started towards the Ravenclaw table as they entered the Great Hall. "Have a nice lunch!"

Lavender looked around for Parvati at the Gryffindor table, but found her sitting next to Dean, with no room on either side. She looked really content; in fact, there were practically stars in her eyes. Ugh, Lavender thought. If they don't just make out already… But her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. It was Draco Malfoy.

"Wanna move and not stand her holding everyone up?" he drawled.

"Oh, piss off, Malfoy," Lavender said angrily, sauntering towards the Gryffindor table. She had to pick a place and sit at it; she didn't want to ruin her dramatic exit. Was it her fault that the spot perfectly in line with it happened to be right beside Seamus?

* * *

**A/N: Ooh, another sort of cliffhanger. Good thing chapter five's already up, better go read, read, read...and review!**


	5. Apologizing

**A/N: Here's chapter numero cinco. R&R :

* * *

**Seamus was shocked when he saw Lavender saunter away from Malfoy, and land in the seat right beside his.

"Hello," he said politely, reaching for some pie. Lavender didn't reply, instead loading her own plate. Neville, who sat across from Seamus, gave him a look. Seamus rolled his eyes and turned towards Lavender, who was somehow finding a way to look completely disinterested in him as she ate.

"Lavender," he said.

She grunted to show she was listening.

"Do you think we could talk…when you're done…in private?"

Lavender tried not to make her face light up. He was going to apologize! "I'll be done in a minute," she agreed.

Seamus, who had now lost his appetite, pushed his plate away. "Well, I'll...erm…meet you in the common room then."

"Alright."

* * *

"So, Patil, all done?" Dean said when there was a gap in conversation for the first time all lunch. 

"Yeah," she was still smiling. Being with Dean seemed to have a creepy effect on her.

"Why let the fun stop here? How about a walk on the grounds in the fifteen minutes before our next class?" Dean suggested, wondering to himself if he was pushing his luck.

"Sounds good to me. I could use some fresh air," Parvati answered pleasantly.

As the pair got up from their seats and started towards the entrance hall, they passed Seamus leaving.

"Hey, where are you off to?" Dean asked conversationally.

"Common room. Lavender's meeting me there," he answered breathlessly.

Parvati gasped. "Did her letter work? Did you apologize?"

"Not yet," Seamus responded. "But that's why we're meeting in the common room."

"Good luck, mate," Dean said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I warned Dean before, don't hurt her or I'll be after you!" Parvati called after him as he started off again.

"Harsh," Dean laughed as they walked into the entrance hall, and through the doors that led to the grounds.

"I'm a harsh girl," Parvati said flirtatiously. "Do you like harsh girls?"

Dean was surprised by her question. "Depends," he answered, grinning.

Parvati smiled too. She started spinning around in the breezy autumn air. "I feel like a first year all over again."

"Most could argue that you're exactly the opposite," Dean replied.

Parvati grabbed him by the hand, taking him spinning with her. "We can pretend we're young and innocent," she said breathlessly. "For just a few minutes."

"Yeah," Dean whispered. "We can."

* * *

Seamus sat by the fire in the common room. He had sat near Lavender's favorite chair, leaving it open so she could sit there. He hoped it earned him extra points. Lavender came sashaying through the portrait hall then: the way she walked was with a purpose, but not bustling like she was in a huge hurry to get where she needed to go. He admired her more and more as she came nearer to him in the near-empty common room. She sat in the armchair wordlessly, folded her hands in her lap, and stared at Seamus expectantly. 

Seamus gulped. It's not like he had a rehearsed speech or anything. He was just planning on saying whatever came to his mind. He thought it appropriate to stand, so he did. _Here goes nothing_, he thought.

"Lavender," he started. "I'm not sure if you already know this, but if you don't, here it is: I like you as more than a friend. So when earlier this week I thought you liked me too, I got pretty happy. But then I, being a git, came to the conclusion that you still liked Ron." He paused, and searched Lavender's face, but it was impassive. He continued. "So I kind of lashed out, because I was so angry. And I didn't mean it when I called you a whore, Lavender. It was just my temper getting the best of me, which will never happen again. I should have listened to what you had to say, but I was a git. I'm really sorry, and I guess that can't make up for what happened. And I doubt you want to be with me now, if you ever did that is, but hopefully we can be friends. Or at least get along on that project." He finally let out some breath, and looked at Lavender again. She looked into her lap, and then suddenly a grin spread across her face.

"Oh, Seamus," she said. "How could I not forgive you?"

Then she grabbed him by the neck, pulling him onto her lap, and give him a kiss, on the mouth. He was surprised, and pulled back.

"You still like me?" he asked.

"Who says I ever did?" Lavender said, laughing.

"Oh, sorry…"

"No, I'm joking, I did like you, Seamus. Not Ron. I'm over him. I was surprised when you left, so I decided to just apologize for accidentally making you come to the conclusion that I still liked him. But then you started freaking out at me, and I got mad. Of course, when you called me…a whore…that just took me over the top. But I'm forgiving you. It's in the past."

"Completely in the past?"

"Yes, completely."

"Good," Seamus said, and leaned in to kiss her again.

* * *

The next day was a Saturday, and a Hogsmeade one at that. Parvati woke up with a huge grin on her face. Today she was going to Hogsmeade with Dean to finish up their project. She was sure they'd be having some fun too. She looked around the dorm: Lavender was already up, and putting makeup on in the mirror. Everyone else seemed to have already vacated and gone to breakfast. 

"Morning, Parvati," she said without looking up.

"You freak!" Parvati laughed. "Can you just like, sense me looking at you?"

"Yes!" Lavender answered, throwing a pillow at her.

Parvati threw one back, and got up from the bed. "Sorry, but I have to get ready for Hogsmeade. No time to engage in a full pillow fight with you."

"It's okay, I wouldn't want to ruin my makeup," Lavender's eyes twinkled.

"Excited to go to Hogsmeade with Seamus, are we?" Parvati joked.

"Very excited," Lavender agreed. She turned back to the mirror. "And are we excited about going with Dean?"

"Well, yeah, he's one of my best friends," Parvati answered as she pulled on some Muggle clothes for the trip.

"That, my dear, is what they all say," Lavender ran a brush through her long blonde hair.

"Lavender," Parvati said seriously. "Nothing romantic is going on."

"I don't buy it. You look way too happy for it to be a 'just friends' thing."

"What? I'm not anymore happy when I'm talking to Dean than when I'm talking to Neville!" She applied makeup in her own mirror now.

"Please," Lavender scoffed. "As if you have that lopsided little grin plastered on your face while you chat with Neville. You're so into Dean, it's getting as obvious as Ron and Hermione."

"Ron and--?" Parvati was surprised. "Are you saying you think it was obvious they liked each other last year?"

Lavender sighed. "I saw it the whole time, I was just pretending it wasn't there. It's been pretty obvious since the beginning, now that I think about it."

"I guess you're really over Ron," Parvati said as she began to brush her own hair.

"Well, it had to happen sometime. As mad as I am that he led me on and used me, I have to say that they make a cute couple. And anyway, I've got Seamus now. It's easier to look back like that when you've got someone new," Lavender answered.

"True," Parvati said, fastening a clip in her hair.

"Ready for breakfast?" Lavender asked.

"Just about," Parvati slipped on some shoes. "Now I am."

"Then let's go! Hogsmeade awaits!" The pair squealed, grabbed their cloaks and bags, and started towards the common room.

* * *

Breakfast went by fairly quickly, Seamus and Dean noticed. Everyone that was a third year and up seemed pretty eager to finish their breakfasts and get down to Hogsmeade.

"Where're you meeting Lavender?" Dean asked Seamus as they got up.

"Here," he answered standing at the door to the entrance hall. "Where are you meeting Parvati?"

"We were supposed to meet while Filch calls out names, but I suppose if you two go off, we'll end up meeting right about…now," he said the last bit as Lavender and Parvati walked over to them.

"Hey, Seamus!" Lavender squealed, giving him a quick kiss.

"Hey," he said casually, trying to maintain his cool. "We'll see you two later," he added to Parvati and Dean as they walked away.

"Sure we will," Dean joked to Parvati, who laughed.

"So," Parvati said. "Ready for some fun project time?"

"Oh, yeah, extremely," Dean said dryly. "Let's try to finish it quickly so we can have a little fun."

"I'm all for it," Parvati said. "Shall we?" She nodded towards the door, and they walked through it, starting off across the grounds to where Filch always called out the names. They met Neville and Luna on their way down and fell into step with them.

"Are you two working on the project too?" Parvati questioned.

Neville laughed. "Of course not! We finished that project earlier this week. We're just looking forward to a fun, carefree Hogsmeade trip."

"Well, that's lucky," Dean said flatly.

"Yeah, well the project's due Monday. Next time you shouldn't procrastinate," Luna said dreamily.

"Right," Parvati said. "Well, we'll see you lot later." And they quickened their pace to get away from the couple.

As the three pairs had their names called by Filch and started into Hogsmeade, a full day was laid ahead of them: who knew what would happen?

* * *

**A/N: Ooh, what will happen in Hogsmeade? Only reading on will tell...anyway, thanks for reading, and please leave a review or keep reading or both...I need to stop nagging people to review and stop starting every A/N with the word ooh!**


	6. Working & Playing

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, but this chapter is...pretty long I think? Here it is. Anyway, I think I'm going to have one or two more chapters, and definitely an epilogue set after the DH ending. So keep reading, and please review!

* * *

**"So, work before fun, right?" Dean shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans when he asked Parvati. 

"Unfortunately," Parvati answered, with a devious glint in her eye.

Dean smirked. "Where do you want to go?"

"Three Broomsticks?" Parvati suggested.

"Sure," Dean led them to the bar, and opened the door for Parvati. The bar was packed with students who tried to ignore the random Death Eaters hanging around the pub, looking suspiciously at anyone whose wand happened to be out. Dean and Parvati spotted Seamus and Lavender immediately and went over to them.

"Hey, what's up?" Dean asked conversationally. Seamus and Lavender sat on one of the cushioned benches along the wall drinking butterbeers lazily, with Seamus's arm draped casually around her shoulders.

"Nothing much," Lavender answered, grinning from ear to ear. "What's up with you?"

"Well, we hoped to finish our project in here, but it doesn't look like we're going to," Parvati answered, frowning around at the loud, crowded pub.

"What'd you expect on one of the rare Hogsmeade visits of the year?" Seamus asked.

"True," Dean said.

"Hey, did you guys finish your project?" Parvati asked curiously.

"Yeah, last night," Lavender winked.

"Ew," Parvati tried to wipe certain mental images from her brain, while Dean laughed and Seamus smirked.

"You guys are welcome to sit with us, you know just fuck the project," Seamus joked.

"Such vulgar language," joked Lavender. They both laughed.

"Er…sure?" Parvati looked questioningly at Dean. But Dean wasn't looking at Parvati; his face was screwed up in concentration as he thought. Then his face lit up and he looked back around at his friends.

"I've got it!" he said abruptly, startling everyone.

"Uh, what?" Parvati asked.

"Be right back," Dean dashed towards the bar.

"What's up with Mr. Spaz?" Lavender giggled.

"Who knows," Seamus answered, taking a swig of his butterbeer. Parvati rolled her eyes.

Dean came back then, with two butterbeers and, for some reason, a basket in his hand. He grabbed Parvati by the arm and said, "Come on, I know just the spot where we can work."

* * *

It was ten minutes later, and Dean and Parvati were sitting on a picnic blanket on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Parvati was positively beaming; Dean had gotten Madam Rosmerta to give him some bread and sweets for a little extra money, along with the two butterbeers.

"That was really sweet," Parvati blushed. She hadn't meant to say it.

"Er…thanks," Dean blushed too. "So," he recomposed himself. "Let's get crackin' with that project, eh?"

"Crackin'?" Parvati laughed.

"Muggle slang, sorry," Dean smiled.

"But yeah, we should," Parvati turned serious. The two started to magick a poster presentation for their Transfiguration presentation; that was done in ten minutes time with the use of their wands. But now for the hard part, which they probably shouldn't have left to the last minute, was actually practically Transfiguring their topic.

"We can do this, it's not that hard," Parvati said after forty minutes of trying with no luck.

"It's no use, Parvati," Dean lay down on the picnic blanket, somehow exhausted. Bread crumbs and sweets wrappers surrounded the blanket, long since devoured, and the butterbeer bottles empty. "Neville and Luna are right, we really shouldn't have waited till the last minute. And now we can't even change topics."

"Come on, if we just tried again!" Parvati pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and wiped sweat from her forehead. "It can't be this hard."

"That's what I said a half hour ago," Dean joked.

Parvati laughed. "Ugh, I can't Transfigure anymore." She lay down besides Dean, giving up. They both grew silent, suddenly at a loss for words. It was apparent to them everything the other was doing, as they lay side by side.

"You know, it's amazing we're even here, just doing a stupid Transfiguration project and worrying about our procrastination issues. There's a war going on outside here, and we're going to be right in it in only three months," Parvati broke the silence, suddenly and speaking quickly.

Dean turned around, leaning on his elbow so he was facing Parvati, and she did the same. Now they were face to face, and it was somehow more intimate.

"I know," Dean whispered. "But um…there are people out there fighting for us. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they're fighting for us right now. And we haven't given up yet, I mean, think about it. We were in the D.A. It's not like we're just sitting here, helpless. We know a couple of spells too."

She nodded. "True." Something dawned on her then, as Dean's words washed over her.

"Dean," she said, her voice heavy.

"Yeah?" he said, watching as she sat up on the picnic blanket.

"I'm an idiot," she whispered, obviously not intending Dean to hear. Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Well, you fooled me. I thought you were pretty smart," Dean joked, obviously not sensing that she was upset.

Parvati smiled, but the tears started to fall anyhow. Now Dean noticed.

"Whoa, Parvati, are you alright?" Dean sat up now too, and grabbed a napkin from behind him. "Do you want this?"

Parvati smiled a watery smile, and took the napkin graciously. "T-thanks, Dean. It's just—how couldn't I have seen it before?"

"Seen what?" Dean was genuinely confused.

"Seen that the reason I feel so happy around you, the reason I'd rather talk to you than Lavender, is that you comfort me. It's—" she looked at him as if first noticing he was there. "I think I—love you."

Dean blinked. He hadn't expected that. "What?" he blubbered.

"Yeah," she smiled fully now, and faced him head on. "And I'm not gonna hold it in anymore. I like you, Dean, heck, I love you! And I'll scream it, I just don't care anymore!"

She stood up, and waved her arms around, spinning like she had the other day.

"I think you've lost it, Patil," Dean smiled at her.

"Do you like me?" she sounded high, but apparently she didn't need the drugs.

Dean was caught off guard, he stared at her mellow face. She obviously no longer had a care in the world. "Yes," he said quietly. "Of course I do."

Parvati beamed, and grabbed him by the arms, spinning him around with her. They were both laughing, and they spun until they were both so dizzy that they fell down on the ground, panting and still giggling.

"I think…I think I've loved you all year, Dean," Parvati smiled over at him.

"You have? Then why'd you get so mad last week when McGonagall accused us of flirting?" Dean asked.

"Because I've had so many bad relationships in the past. I haven't wanted to get close to anyone, especially with the war, and…but now I know that the fact that there's a war makes it even more apparent that I needed to tell you."

Dean smiled. "I wouldn't do anything your old boyfriends did. And believe me, I know."

"Well, I wouldn't do what Ginny did," Parvati smiled.

"That's comforting," Dean smiled at her too. Then he leaned over, and kissed her. He'd wanted to do it for so long, and now her lips were soft, and they held it for a long time before coming up for air. Parvati beamed at him, before leaning in again, and this time, the kiss deepened, and both were panting hard by the time they finally came up.

"Love you," Dean said.

"Good," Parvati said. "Love you too, D-Tom."

"What did you just call me?" Dean laughed.

"D-Tom. Heard it from the Creeveys. Muggle slang apparently? So what am I? P-Pat?"

Dean couldn't help cracking up. "Forever," he said.

They sat there on the ground by their picnic blanket for a few minutes before both realized at the same time that they had a project to finish. They tried once again to Transfigure, and this time, somehow, it worked.

Maybe all they needed was the extra OOMPH, eh?

* * *

**A/N: So there you go. Dean and Parvati are finally together. I'll try to put more N/L in the next chapter, since I realized I haven't put much of them in. Anyway, please review and I'll try to get the next few chapters up soon.**


	7. Drinking

**A/N: Here's the seventh chapter. I have the rest of the story pretty clear in my head now; I think I'll have one more chapter, and then the epilogue. What happens in between is supposed to be DH, even though since mine was so AU what with none of them living in the Room of Requirement, Luna & Dean being at school, and everything, I guess you'll just have to abridge it in your head...anyway please read, leave a review, and check back, because I'm going to try to FINALLY finish this up real soon!

* * *

**Neville and Luna came out of Honeyduke's with huge smiles plastered on their faces. 

"What a fun day," Luna said dreamily as Neville took her hand.

"What time is it anyway?" Neville asked, for once sounding as dreamy as Luna herself.

"Well, I don't know, why bother with the time?" Luna seemed a little far-off as she stared over at Neville with her large eyes.

"So people don't get mad at you," Neville laughed nervously as he came back to reality.

"True," Luna laughed. "Well, do you have a watch?"

"Not on me, but let's go in the Three Broomsticks. Maybe we can get a butterbeer before we have to head back to Hogwarts," Neville suggested.

"I'm not too fond of butterbeer. I'd rather a more exotic drink," Luna said.

"Well, I'm sure Madam Rosmerta has something you'd like," Neville suggested happily.

"That's true, she's a rather nice woman," Luna still seemed a little far-off, but Neville dismissed it. This was the girl he'd fallen for, after all.

When the pair got inside the Three Broomsticks, they found Seamus and Lavender, in the same spot that Dean and Parvati had seen them at earlier. They looked a little…drunker now, though, and Seamus's face was now covered somewhat with pink lip-shaped marks. Neville smirked when he spotted them.

"Want to go talk to Seamus and Lavender?" Neville asked Luna.

"Oh, sure," Luna looked around interestedly at all the people who still crowded the pub.

"Hey, guys," Neville greeted as they approached the duo.

They both answered with casual waves of the hand. "Neville, my man, firewhisky is amazing," Seamus raised a half-empty bottle. "Would you like some?"

"Uh, I think I'll stick to butterbeer, thanks," Neville smiled weakly.

"Suit yourself," Seamus took a sip, and beamed as the hot liquid burned his throat.

"It is amazing, though, guys," Lavender sounded anxious when she was drunk, while Seamus sounded more laidback than normal. "You should really try some."

"I guess you discovered the wonders of being of age, hmm?" Neville asked as he waved over Madam Rosmerta, who was delivering a round of firewhiskies to a group of young adults at a table nearby.

"Oh, yes, we did," Seamus answered, sounding mellow.

"Hello," Madam Rosmerta greeted Neville as she came over.

"One butterbeer for me, and Luna, what did you want?" Neville ordered.

"Do you have anything more exotic than butterbeer?" Luna asked.

"Er…" Madam Rosmerta seemed a little perplexed. "Well, we do have this Muggle margarita thing. Not very popular, though."

"Sounds good," Luna smiled. "I'll have that."

"And anything else for you two?" Madam Rosmerta looked over at Lavender and Seamus a little concerned.

"I'll have another firewhisky," Seamus said happily. "Do you want one, love?" he asked Lavender.

"Oh, just one more'll do it," Lavender agreed.

"Alright, but this is the last one, Mr. Finnegan, Ms. Brown. I'm not serving you anymore after this," Madam Rosmerta shifted her feet as she made this decision.

"Whatever you say, Ros," Seamus sounded very off-hand about it.

"So how'd you come about realizing that you could drink firewhisky?" Neville asked the pair when Madam Rosmerta had gone.

"We started off with butterbeer!" Lavender explained. "Then some of the rowdier adults started teasing us. They've already graduated you see," she looked over at Luna as if explaining to her, and Luna nodded eagerly to show she was listening. "So we said, 'heck, we're seventeen, why don't we try a coupla firewhiskies?' And the adults laughed at us, they said we wouldn't be able to take it. And when Madam Rosmerta handed us our firewhiskies, just to show 'em, we chugged them."

"You chugged firewhisky?" Neville sounded awed, and looked it too.

"That's right," Seamus said casually. "Those gits wiped those stupid smirks off their sorry mugs."

"It's true, they were surprised we could hold it, and not even shudder at the burning. It was rather exhilarating if you ask me," Lavender continued. "We ended up talking to them, and they bet us we couldn't drink three more rounds. So we did. And by then, they were laughing at us because we were getting sort of drunk."

"I'd assume so," Luna said.

"They left then, but we wanted more," Seamus explained.

"We were on our sixth round when you came about," Lavender finished.

"Sixth—wait, so this is your seventh round now?" Neville asked as Madam Rosmerta approached them with a tray full of drinks.

"That's right," Seamus lifted his bottle of firewhisky off the tray, and handed one to Lavender. "Cheers."

Neville looked amazed as the pair clinked bottles and poured some of the hot liquid down their throats, finishing with a satisfied 'ah.' He handed Luna her exotic-looking margarita, which she gazed at happily, and took a swig of his own butterbeer.

"Anything else I can get for you?" Madam Rosmerta asked Neville, but looking worriedly at the giggling Seamus and Lavender as they each took another sip of firewhisky.

"Nope, we're good, thanks," Neville smiled at her, so that she pulled herself away from the incredibly drunk couple.

"This margarita is tasty," Luna said as she sipped happily.

"Good," Neville smiled at her. "By the way, Luna?"

"Yeah?" she said pleasantly.

"Let's promise to never get as drunk as those two," Neville laughed.

"Well, unless we have something real good to celebrate," Luna argued.

"True," Neville said. "Okay, let's toast on it: we will never get as drunk as Seamus and Lavender are now, unless we have something really good to celebrate."

"Cheers," they both said at once, clinking bottle to glass before taking nice long swigs and smiling contently.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Dean and Parvati came into the pub and found their four friends at the table.

"No way, you guys are still at this table? Please tell me you left and came back?" Dean asked as the two pulled up chairs.

"Nope," Seamus smiled. "We've been here since ya left."

"That's comforting," Dean eyed the fourteen empty firewhisky bottles and said. "Looks like you've got a long story to tell."

Lavender eyed Dean and Parvati's entwined hands, leaned back against the cushioned bench and said, "So do you."

The two pairs recounted their tales to everyone vividly, Dean and Parvati blushing at parts of theirs, and admittedly leaving a few things out.

"And your project's done?" Neville asked Dean and Parvati when they finished,

Dean took a final swig of his butterbeer. "All finished. We magicked it back to the castle."

"Awesome," Lavender said.

"I guess," Parvati smiled. "What about you two?" she asked Neville and Luna, who had been sitting listening to the two stories, adding comments every now and then.

"Well, we really just did the average Hogsmeade trip, unlike you lot," Neville smiled.

"Yeah, we went into that tearoom, it's very quaint, you know," Luna looked over at Neville serenely.

Neville blushed a little.

"Hear, hear," Seamus burped drunkenly, sending the rest of the group into laughter.

"We also went to that joke shop, Zonko's, and you know, around to all the stores," Luna continued their story.

"Did you go to Honeyduke's?" Parvati asked conversationally.

"Last stop, actually," Neville answered. "Came back here to look for the time, and found these two rowdy kids instead." He smiled at Lavender and Seamus, who hardly acknowledged the fact he was addressing them. "What time is it anyway?"

"It's nine o'clock at night now, fellas," Madam Rosmerta cut in, picking up the empty bottles strewn all over the table, and dropping a few parchment bills. "Now kindly have out your money when I come back. You lot should be getting back to the castle soon."

Dean and Neville had no trouble at all paying for their dates when Madam Rosmerta came back around, while Lavender and Seamus scrambled to pay their bill together.

"Look after these two," Madam Rosmerta said to Dean, Parvati, Neville, and Luna. "And please, never drink that much firewhisky again."

"Unless we have something really good to celebrate," Seamus promised.

"Fair enough," Madam Rosmerta counted her money one last time before departing. "You lot have a good night."

"So, guys, our last Hogsmeade trip for…ever," Dean said, looking round the table at them all.

"You don't know that," Neville said uneasily.

"Well, it's quite possible, we've hardly had any this year, thanks to Snape and the Death Eaters," Parvati said.

"Yeah, and there's only a few weeks left of term," Seamus agreed.

"That's really sad," Lavender said quietly.

"Yeah," Luna said. "But hopefully when we all drink again, it'll be because we have something good to celebrate."

"I just hope it's soon," Dean said, and the friends all looked around at each other, silently reflecting on past memories together, wishing the night would never end, and that there wasn't a raging war around them. Wishing that the time to celebrate was now, and not knowing that it was just around the corner, though they might just have to do a little fighting first.

* * *

**A/N: The ending of this chapter's kinda bittersweet, maybe a little corny? I don't know, but please leave a review & check back soon, I'll be updating! Thanks for reading :**


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